International Youth Match Racing Championship: Years of Developing Sailing Talent
The Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club has once again welcomed some of the world’s most promising young match racers to Pittwater when the 32nd HARKEN International Youth Match Racing Championship commenced on Wednesday 11 November 2026 with a welcome for all Skippers and crew at the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club. Racing continues on the Pittwater estuary through Sunday November 15.
First held in 1992, the HARKEN International Youth Match Racing Championship celebrates 35 years of history in 2026. Organised and hosted by RPAYC, with the longstanding sponsorship of Harken Australia, the event has become one of the most respected youth match racing regattas in the Southern Hemisphere.
Over more than three decades, the championship has provided a stepping stone for talented young sailors aspiring to compete at the highest levels of the sport. Many past competitors have subsequently enjoyed successful careers in the America’s Cup, SailGP, the World Match Racing Tour and other international sailing competitions.
The Racing
The International Youth Match Racing Championship is a match race regatta, comparable to the America’s Cup. The sailors race head-to-head in direct competition. Unlike the America’s Cup, the Harken International provides sailors with equal boats so it is more a test of sailing ability than design, materials and development.
The “HARKEN”, as it is now known has been aspiring young sailors from around the world.
The Harken International is certified Grade 3 for World Sailing match race rankings. The event will be sailed in the RPAYC’s Elliott 7m fleet of performance keelboats with a crew of four/five. Racing will be conducted on the beautiful waterways of Pittwater on Sydney’s Northern Beaches.
Ten international teams will compete at this year’s event with crews of four/five, all of who must be under 23 years of age.
The Boats
The Elliott 7’s are designed by Greg Elliott and built by McConaghy Boats, with Southern Spars building the carbon fibre Mast, Boom, Bow Sprit and spinnaker pole
The hull and deck shells are constructed using E Glass fibres over PVC foam and coremat. The internal structure is female moulded, solid fibreglass. All components are engineered to exacting standards to ensure strict control of weight and provide a strong, stiff, durable and light yacht. Ease of operation and low maintenance are prime considerations in the construction of all components. All equipment is selected from recognised suppliers with good worldwide service coverage.
The strategic placement of all controls around the cockpit allows for ease of use by skipper, mainsheet/traveller trimmer, jib trimmer and bowman. Halyards, vang, tack line and control line for the retractable bow pole are controlled from the base of the carbon-fibre mast. Trimming position for mainsheet and traveller is just in front of helmsman, and jib sheet winches are well forward. Hiking straps run the length of the cockpit. There is a removable bowsprit so that the boats can be sailed with the option of spinnaker or gennaker. There is a pit forward of the mast for the bowman and for sail stowage. The keel fin, which is retractable, is constructed of carbon fibre with a lead bulb incorporated. The rudder, which is removable, has a carbon fibre stock, foam and glass blade.
Mast and spars are built by Southern Spars. The mast and boom are of a modern design, constructed of carbon and aluminium materials, using state of the art engineering. The mast is designed to be lightweight but still retain standard operation safety factors as normally expected in this type of rig. Mast assembly is consistent with common practices, to enable easy maintenance and service. The rig has been designed to allow for effortless assembly, stepping and tuning.
A remarkable roll of honour
Perhaps the most famous name on the championship’s winners list is James Spithill, who won the event representing RPAYC in both 1996 and 1998. He went on to become one of the world’s best-known professional sailors, winning the America’s Cup in 2010 and 2013, including the extraordinary comeback victory by Oracle Team USA in San Francisco.
Other notable past winners include Torvar Mirsky, who became a world match racing champion, and Seve Jarvin, whose achievements in 18-foot skiff racing have made him one of Australia’s most successful sailors.
The championship’s roll of honour also includes Katie Spithill (now Pellew), Tommy Spithill, Michael Dunstan, Chris Steele and Will Boulden, demonstrating the extraordinary calibre of sailors who have competed in and won the event.
RPAYC’s proud record
As the host club, RPAYC has a particularly strong connection with the championship. Since its inception, seven RPAYC skippers have claimed the trophy on eight occasions:
Year Winning skipper
1992 Aaron Links
1993 Matt Goulter
1996 James Spithill
1998 James Spithill
1999 Katie Spithill
2008 Tommy Spithill
2014 Milly Bennett
2024 Daniel Kemp
Among these achievements, Milly Bennett’s victory in 2014 with an all-female crew was particularly memorable.
More recently, Daniel Kemp brought the trophy back to RPAYC in 2024, ending a ten-year drought for the host club. Kemp and his crew of Louis Tilly, Lachlan Wallace, Charlie Verity and Isabella Holdsworth secured victory in a closely contested five-race final against New Zealand’s Ethan Fong.
The trophy returned to New Zealand in 2025, when Zach Fong of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron claimed the title in an all Kiwi final.
2014; – Milly Bennett (Skipper), Alice Tarnawski, Seldon Coventry, Jessica Russell, Chelsea Connor (RPAYC). Photo: Stephen Collopy/RPAYC. Report: Milly Bennett Skippers the First All Female Team to Victory
The 2026 championship
This year’s event will be contested from 12–15 November, with ten teams competing in RPAYC’s fleet of identical Elliott 7 keelboats.
The championship carries a World Sailing Youth Grade 3 designation, recognising its place on the international match racing calendar and its contribution to the development and ranking of young match racing talent.
RPAYC will be strongly represented, with four home-club skippers competing:
- Daniel Kemp, currently ranked number one in the youth match racing world rankings, returns seeking another victory.
- Louis Tilly, ranked 17th in the youth world rankings and a member of Kemp’s winning crew in 2024, will compete as skipper.
- Ash Napper will also represent RPAYC from our IYD Program, adding another talented young skipper to the club’s challenge.
- Sophie Hart will also represent RPAYC from our YD Squad, adding another talented young skipper to the club’s challenge.
With four home teams and strong international opposition, the stage is set for another exciting week of closely fought racing.
More than just a regatta
While the competition on the water is always fierce, the HARKEN International Youth Match Racing Championship is about much more than winning a trophy.
It offers young sailors the opportunity to develop their tactical skills, teamwork, decision-making and leadership under the pressure of international competition. It also builds friendships and connections between sailors and clubs around the world.
For RPAYC, the event is a tangible demonstration of the club’s longstanding commitment to youth sailing and the development of the next generation of international competitors.
Thirty-five years after the inaugural event, that commitment remains as strong as ever.
We wish all competitors the very best of luck, particularly our three RPAYC teams, and look forward to another outstanding championship on Pittwater.
Racing commences Wednesday 11 November and concludes Sunday 15 November 2026.
Meet the Teams - 32nd Harken International Youth Match Racing Championship
Wednesday November 11 2026, Newport NSW
World championship medallists, national champions and emerging sailors from Australia and New Zealand will meet on Pittwater for the HARKEN International Youth Match Racing Championship 2026, hosted by the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club (RPAYC) from 11–15 November. Ten teams from five yacht clubs will compete in RPAYC’s Elliott 7 keelboats and battle for the Rockin' Robin Perpetual Trophy, promising plenty of intrigue. Registration and practice take place on Wednesday 11 November, followed by four days of racing from Thursday 12 to Sunday 15 November.
The line-up brings together sailors with recent international podium finishes and national titles, alongside developing skippers ready to test their skills in one-on-one racing.
Daniel Kemp
Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club | Sydney, Australia
A previous HARKEN winner, Daniel Kemp returns with a world championship silver medal. He skippered Australia to second at the 2026 Youth Match Racing World Championship in Middelfart, Denmark, in June, before finishing fifth at the Governor’s Cup in California. Kemp won HARKEN in 2024 and the Australian Youth Match Racing Championship in 2025, giving the host club an experienced contender for another victory on Pittwater. [3,4,5,6]
Crew: Joshua Paulson, Charlie Verity, Annabelle Sampson and Isabella Holdsworth.
Louis Tilly
Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club | Sydney, Australia
Louis Tilly arrives as the newly crowned Australian Youth Match Racing champion after a 3–0 final win over Ben Crafoord at Geelong in October. He also defended his Australian WASZP title in April and shared in Kemp’s world championship silver medal as crew. His HARKEN lineup retains national title-winning teammates William Hough, William Troop and Oliver Ross, joined by Heidi Bates. [3,7,8]
Crew: Heidi Bates, William Troop, Oliver Ross and William Hough.
Ethan Fong
Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron | Auckland, New Zealand
Ethan Fong brings a Hardy Cup title and fresh form from New Zealand’s open match racing circuit. He won the 2026 Hardy Cup on Sydney Harbour in February and finished runner-up at the Oceanbridge New Zealand Match Racing Championship on 1 November. Fong also reached the final of the 2025 HARKEN championship, finishing second, and returns to Pittwater with a strong record against international opposition.
Crew: Lucas Day, Harry McMullen, Hayden Smith and Maddie Rist.
Robbie Wooldridge
Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron | Auckland, New Zealand
Robbie Wooldridge also returns with experience of HARKEN’s final four, having finished fourth in 2025 after winning 13 of his 18 round-robin matches. His 2026 campaign includes fourth at the Hardy Cup and sixth at Auckland’s Toyota Youth International Match Racing Cup. Those results add further depth to the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron’s two-team challenge.
Crew: Loik Eeman, Sally Roff, Ora Mead and James Blyth.
James Hayhoe
Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron | Sydney, Australia
James Hayhoe delivered Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron’s first Toyota Youth International Match Racing Cup victory in Auckland earlier this year. He has since added second place at the 2026 OCIUS NSW Youth Match Racing Championship and third at October’s Australian Youth Match Racing Championship. With an international regatta win and recent podium finishes in Australia, Hayhoe brings a strong season’s form to Pittwater.
Crew: Michael King, Angus Renton, Lachie Jansen, Lauren Tandy.
Massimo Henderson
Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron | Sydney, Australia
Massimo Henderson completes Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron’s two-team challenge. He finished fifth at the 2026 OCIUS NSW Youth Match Racing Championship, winning his placing series against Joshua Paulson 3–0, and sixth at the Australian Youth Match Racing Championship in Geelong. Henderson also finished eighth at Auckland’s Toyota Youth International, gaining further experience against several skippers he will meet again at HARKEN.
Crew: Thomas Beatty, Sebastien Spencer, Christian Spencer, Felicity Cameron.
Heidi Ferguson
Cruising Yacht Club of Australia | Sydney, Australia
Heidi Ferguson heads the CYCA team after finishing third at September’s John Messenger Women’s Match Racing Regatta, securing the podium with a 2–1 win over Isabella Holdsworth in the petit final. She followed that with fifth at the Australian Women’s Match Racing Championship in Fremantle. Her HARKEN crew includes Ali Braden, who was part of Chelsea Williams’ winning team at those national championships.
Crew: Peter Rowe, Ali Braden, Charlotte Toll and Kelly Su.
Angus Cameron
Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club | Perth, Australia
Perth’s Angus Cameron arrives after reaching the semi-finals and finishing fourth at the 2026 Australian Youth Match Racing Championship. His Geelong campaign included victories over Ben Crafoord and James Hayhoe on a five-win penultimate day. Earlier in 2026, Cameron also skippered Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club to second overall and first in the Under 23 category at the Sailing Champions League Asia Pacific Final in Newcastle.
Crew: Ashile Duffield, Diemont Ferriera and Eleanor Green.
Ash Napper
Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club | Sydney, Australia
Ash Napper brings national success in dinghies and skiffs to the host club’s challenge. Napper and Taj Bridge successfully defended their Australian Flying 11 title in 2025, before Napper skippered Buckingham Marine to third at the Australian 13ft Skiff Championship at Belmont in January 2026, sailing with Theo Franklin. The RPAYC development sailor now takes on the HARKEN fleet in Elliott 7s.
Crew: Victoria Lin, Joe Corbel, Bella Primrose, Fife Crawfoord.
Sophie Hart
Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club | Sydney, Australia
Sophie Hart joins the RPAYC challenge with recent success in Manly’s 16ft skiff fleet. Skippering Whitefox Real Estate, she claimed handicap honours in both Short Course Series races on 24 October 2026. A member of RPAYC’s Youth Development Squad, Hart will represent the host club in the international lineup.
Crew: Orlando Sadlik, Goro Tomishima, Hugo Butterworth and Charlie Snell.
It is not often that a club has the opportunity to host the world's three highest-ranked youth match racing skippers in the same event.
Ethan Fong, Daniel Kemp and James Hayhoe occupy the top three places in that order, while Louis Tilly’s rise to join Robbie Wooldridge in the top ten means five of the world’s top ten youth skippers will be racing. However, with ten competitive teams in the field, it's performance, not rankings, that determines the outcome.
The New Zealand teams will be looking to continue their recent success, the visiting Australian clubs will be eager to make their mark, and RPAYC's four teams will be doing everything they can to secure a home victory.
Whatever the result, the 2026 HARKEN International Youth Match Racing Championship promises four days of outstanding competition and another opportunity for RPAYC to play a leading role in the development of the next generation of international sailing talent.
With support from naming rights sponsor Harken Australia, the championship brings the ten teams together for four days of match racing on Pittwater. The scheduled racing area is near Scotland Island, with daily racing scheduled from 1000hrs.
Follow the teams, event updates and results through the HARKEN championship page on the RPAYC website.
Hayhoe unbeaten, day 1 - 32nd Harken International Youth Match Racing Championship
Thursday November 12, 2026
James Hayhoe and his Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron team lead the 2026 HARKEN International Youth Match Racing Championship after an unbeaten opening day on Pittwater, ahead of Ethan Fong and Louis Tilly.
Hosted by the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club (RPAYC), Thursday's racing delivered eight flights and 32 matches in Round Robin 1. Ten teams from Australia and New Zealand are competing in the club's Elliott 7 keelboats, with percentage scores determining the day's order as teams sailed either six or seven matches.
After the morning's briefing, Race Director Nick Elliott said, "Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club is again delighted to be hosting the 2026 HARKEN International Youth Match Racing Championship here at RPAYC.
This championship has a fantastic history of bringing together talented young match racers, and we're excited to welcome another great fleet of teams this year.
Match racing is an incredibly exciting format of sailing. It's fast-paced, tactical and puts a real emphasis on teamwork, boat handling and decision-making.
We're looking forward to seeing these young sailors put their skills to the test over the coming days, with some fantastic racing ahead on Pittwater.
I'd like to thank HARKEN, our event partners, officials and volunteers for their support in making this championship possible.
Best of luck to all the competitors. We look forward to a fantastic week of racing!"
Crews headed out in a south-southeasterly breeze reported at 10-14 knots. Following Wednesday's practice sessions, Thursday marked the first opportunity to put points on the board in the contest for the Rockin' Robin Perpetual Trophy.
Hayhoe won all six of his matches, including his encounter with RPAYC's Daniel Kemp; he set the opening-day benchmark with the fleet's only unbeaten record.
Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron's Fong finished with six wins from seven matches for 86%. Runner-up at the 2025 HARKEN championship. His only loss came against fellow RNZYS skipper Robbie Wooldridge.
Tilly led the home-club challenge with five wins from six matches for 83%, including a win over Kemp. The newly crowned Australian Youth Match Racing champion is racing with Heidi Bates, William Troop, Oliver Ross and William Hough. Fong inflicted his only defeat.
Kemp recorded four wins from six matches for 67%, matching Wooldridge's win percentage. With Round Robin 1 still to be completed, the remaining matches offer further opportunities for teams to improve their positions.
For HARKEN newcomers Sophie Hart and Ash Napper, Day 1 delivered valuable lessons in pre-start positioning, boat handling and communication. Hart finished the day with two wins from seven matches, while Napper recorded his first win from seven. Racing against experienced Australian and New Zealand teams gave both RPAYC skippers and their crews opportunities to strengthen their teamwork and decision-making under pressure, providing practical lessons to take into the remaining round-robin matches.
Race Officer Ted Anderson commented:
“Today’s racing was absolutely brilliant. The breeze was all over the place, but it kept coming back to the middle. We had some competitive racing with a few protests along the way, but that’s not an issue. That’s what it’s all about!”
Chief Umpire Katie Maxim added:
“I think the sailing was really good today. Aside from a couple of protests and some contact that could have been avoided, it was a great day of racing.
“My advice for tomorrow is to remember that these are borrowed boats. You don’t need to make contact with each other to get a penalty!”
Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron's Massimo Henderson finished on 50%, while Cruising Yacht Club of Australia's Heidi Ferguson recorded 17% and Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club's Angus Cameron yet to win.
RPAYC thanks naming rights sponsor Harken Australia for its continued support of youth match racing, together with the race management team, umpires and volunteers whose work on and off the water makes the championship possible.
Racing continues tomorrow, Friday 13 November, at 10:00 am AEDT on Pittwater. Hayhoe will look to extend his unbeaten run, while Fong, Tilly and the rest of the fleet return for the next stage of Round Robin 1.
Live results | Event information
Five skippers level as HARKEN Championship moves into second round robin - Day 2
Friday November 13 2026
Five skippers finished Round Robin 1 level on seven wins from nine matches, a 78% winning score, as the 2026 HARKEN International Youth Match Racing Championship progressed into its second round robin on Pittwater on Friday 13 November.
Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron's Ethan Fong and Robbie Wooldridge, Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club's Daniel Kemp and Louis Tilly, and Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron's James Hayhoe shared the same percentage at the completion of the opening round. With no separation in their win-loss records, the second round robin became the next opportunity to establish an advantage.
Scores are based on % wins as a proportion of matches sailed, rather than the number of wins alone. Day 2 was all about completing Round Robin 1 and moving into Round Robin 2.
Friday’s forecast predicted north-easterly winds of 15-20 knots, easing to about 10 knots in the evening and storms. Racing commenced on day 2 after a slight delay to the start as the race committee waited for the sea breeze to kick in. The breeze steadily built throughout the day, soon providing great conditions for the teams.
Hayhoe had entered Friday as the only unbeaten skipper after winning all six of his opening-day matches. His completed first-round record of seven wins and two losses brought him level with four rivals, setting up a closely matched contest between the Australian and New Zealand teams.
Kemp and Wooldridge each added three wins to their opening-day totals to finish Round Robin 1 on seven wins. Tilly added two, while Fong added one. For the host club, Kemp and Tilly’s first-round results kept two RPAYC teams firmly among the leading group.
Speaking before Friday’s racing and reflecting on his four-win, two-loss opening day, RNZYS skipper Robbie Wooldridge highlighted both the quality of the opposition and the opportunity to build on that start.
“We had some good races again with some pretty strong competition. We ended up with four wins and two losses yesterday,” Wooldridge said.
“It’s looking pretty light at the moment, but the wind should pick up quite nicely in the afternoon.”
With Robin Robin 1 finishing with 5 skipper’s all on top leading into Round Robin 2. When asked about the most exciting race of Round 1, Nick Elliott (RPAYC Race Director) said: F12 M1, Kemp Vs Fong.
Kemp forced a penalty and a red flag on Fong for not keeping clear; Fong had to drop the kite to clear a penalty immediately, which gave Kemp the space to get clear.
For RPAYC newcomers Sophie Hart and Ash Napper, the first round robin concluded with two wins from nine matches apiece, giving each a 22% score. Napper added a first-round win on Friday, while Hart’s two victories came on the opening day. Both crews have further opportunities to apply their experience in pre-start positioning, boat handling and communication as the second round progresses.
The event’s female helms, Hart and Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s Heidi Ferguson, also finished the opening round level on 22%. Ferguson added one win to her Thursday total, with both skippers continuing their campaigns against the ten-team field.
Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron’s Massimo Henderson completed Round Robin 1 with four wins from nine matches for 44%, while Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club’s Angus Cameron finished that stage on 0%.
Round Robin 2 – opening snapshot
Round Robin 2 commences in the late afternoon with Fong & Hayhoe leading the pack after Flight 17. Ferguson and Wooldridge are yet to race and will be the first two off Saturday morning.
RPAYC thanks naming rights sponsor Harken Australia, the race management team, umpires and volunteers for their support of the championship and the sailors competing on Pittwater.
Racing is scheduled to resume at 10:00 am AEDT on Saturday 14 November, with the championship continuing through to Sunday 15 November.
Live results | Event information
Fong and Tilly top HARKEN round-robin as Pittwater storms set up Sunday showdown - Day 3
Saturday 14 November 226
Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron's Ethan Fong and Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club's Louis Tilly have finished Round Robin 2 level on eight wins from nine matches, both scoring 89%, as the 2026 HARKEN International Youth Match Racing Championship completed its round-robin programme on Pittwater on Saturday.
Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron's James Hayhoe and Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron's Robbie Wooldridge finished the second round on seven wins apiece (78%). Across both round robins, Fong and Tilly each recorded 15 victories from 18 matches, with Hayhoe and Wooldridge close behind on 14 from 18. Those are calculated combined records, rather than official tie-break placings.
Getting to the finish line on Day 3 demanded persistence from the sailors and race management team. Light morning winds kept competitors ashore before racing got underway in a north-easterly breeze reported at 10 knots shortly after midday. The fleet completed four flights before thunderstorms and shifting winds brought an interruption.
An initial attempt to resume was halted when a major wind shift forced the abandonment of Flight 22, Match 1. After further thunderstorms and heavy rain passed, the race committee displayed the attention signal at 1624hrs, allowing racing to resume. The breeze later built to a reported 13–18 knots from the north-east, and the remaining matches were completed before the official end-of-day announcement at 1810hrs.
For RPAYC, Tilly produced one of Saturday's standout performances, winning all five of his matches. An early encounter with clubmate Daniel Kemp delivered a close finish: Kemp led at the top mark before Tilly made his move downwind after the final rounding to claim victory. Tilly also overcame Sophie Hart, Massimo Henderson, James Hayhoe and Angus Cameron.
Tilly's late-afternoon clash with Hayhoe proved particularly consequential. Official commentary recorded a collision at the top mark and a double penalty for Hayhoe, allowing Tilly to move ahead. Hayhoe had earlier beaten Fong in a major contest between the leaders, but later suffered defeats to both Tilly and Wooldridge. Wooldridge was the other unbeaten skipper on Saturday, winning six matches from six, including victories over Kemp and Hayhoe. His final win against Heidi Ferguson completed a match deferred from the previous day's programme. Fong added four wins from five matches on Saturday and signed off his round robin with victory over Kemp.
RPAYC's Ash Napper added wins over Cameron and Henderson, passing the latter downwind to establish an advantage, while Kemp defeated Ferguson and Napper. Sophie Hart added a win over Napper following the weather interruption, demonstrating the competitiveness running through the ten-team fleet.
The completion of all 90 matches across two round robins leaves four leading skippers separated by only one victory in the combined records. Their head-to-head results promise an absorbing Sunday: Fong has beaten Tilly in both round robins, Tilly has twice defeated Wooldridge, and Wooldridge has beaten Hayhoe twice. The outcome of the semi-finals is far from settled by those earlier meetings.
Racing is scheduled to resume at 1000hrs AEDT on Sunday 15 November, when attention turns to the semi-finals, championship final and petit final. The official semi-final pairings will be available tomorrow morning after the daily briefing.
RPAYC thanks naming rights sponsor Harken Australia, the race management team, umpires and volunteers for their support of the championship and the sailors competing on Pittwater.
The FINALS are scheduled at 10:00 am AEDT on Sunday 15 November.
